A number of different shaving devices are available, the vast majority of which are primarily designed for shaving a man's face, a woman's legs or other portions of the human torso. In fact, a single design often has been used for shaving many different body areas. The most common multi-purpose designs utilize a substantially straight handle shaped to be grasped by one hand. In these devices, the handle curves or otherwise transitions into a head portion of the device where the razor blade is mounted. The long axis of the razor blades are oriented at right angles to the long axis of the handle, which generally facilitates a straight shaving stroke.
The angle the cutting edge of the blade(s) makes with the surface to be shaved is critical. This “cutting angle” is the angle formed between the surface and the plane of the blade with the actual cutting edge in contact with the surface forming the apex of the angle. For effective shaving, the cutting angle should be a relatively small acute angle. In traditional razor systems, if the relationship between the blade and handle is fixed, the plane of the blade approaches being parallel to the long axis of the handle. As such, when the razor is stroked along a surface to be shaved the cutting angle is “automatically” an effective acute angle. In modern “straight handle” razor systems, the blade(s) is held at a predetermined angle in a replaceable cartridge that frames the blade(s). The cartridge, in turn, is mounted on some type of mechanical swivel so the when the cartridge is brought into contact with the surface to be shave, the entire assembly pivots to ensure an optimal cutting angle.
Shaving device designs other than the simple “straight handle razor” are available. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. D426,918; D446,351; D500,889; D667,168; 6,112,421; 6,018,877; 7,140,115; and 8,782,911, each of which were issued to the present inventor, describe and illustrate different designs that utilize a short body and a hook, either open or closed (e.g. a ring) along the top surface of the device, for engaging a user's finger to assist in manipulating the shaver. The foregoing patents are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
The shaver designs disclosed in the foregoing patents have particular applicability to, shaving one's head. However, the present inventor has discovered that additional improvements can be made to provide better results and to enhance the versatility of such shavers.